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Abstract

Kenyans were made different by history, tradition and territorial separation.
Stereotypes were created during the colonial period and after independence they became
stronger with tribalism in the political domain. Discussions and debates around national
identity have been proposed to present a collective identity related to a nation-state.
However, in Kenya this subject becomes a challenge since in this country there are very
few similarities between the people and heterogeneity reigns. This thesis intends to
discuss national identity in Kenya, having the capital city Nairobi as its shared ground.
The discussion is led towards architecture and design identity, in order, to find
this national icon to create a Cultural Center to not only portray its people's image but
also to protect the tangible and intangible cultures that have been lost during the process
of modernization and showcase them to the rest of the world. Translating Kenyans with
their richness in diversity and their shared bond as a nation.
The process of finding this national identity required discussions with experts
and ordinary people about the subject, literature investigation and world architectural
precedents that all provided the basis for each and every design decision in the Cultural
Center concept and consequently present what the researcher could interpret from the
studies in architecture and interior design guidelines.